How to Make Direct Mail Messages “Sticky”

Whether you are send out a mass marketing postcard mailer or a targeted direct mail marketing letter, it is crucial that you have a "sticky" message.

Have you ever noticed how some ideas “stick” in our head while others fade away? You hate the song you just heard on the radio—not because it’s a bad song, but because one line of it will now play in your head on repeat for the next two days. We remember and repeat hundreds of urban legends, even if we know they aren’t true. We use only ten percent of our brains. If you step on a crack, you’ll break your mother’s back.

These are examples of “sticky” messages—things we remember whether we want to or not. If you want to succeed at direct mail marketing, you need to master the art of “sticky” messaging. During the few seconds that person spends looking at your postcard, they need to read or see something in the message that stays lodged in their mind after they put the card down. The longer the idea stays there, the better your chances of making a sale or signing them up. It’s that simple.

Focus on the Headline in your Direct Mail Marketing Piece

Before getting into the nuts and bolts, let’s review some Marketing 101. Your headline is by far the most important part of your direct mail marketing piece. Your headline alone will determine whether the reader continues reading your ad, postcard or flyer. It stands to reason that whatever technique you use to create sticky messaging, you need to apply it to the headline first. Your subheadline and text can and should reinforce the headline, but if you bury the good stuff in the body of your messaging, it’ll never get seen. “Stickiness” starts with the headline.

What Makes a Direct Mail Message “Sticky?”

With their book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, brothers Chip and Dan Heath have become the reigning thought leaders on the topic of memorable ideas. They’ve identified six guiding principles that characterize ideas that stick which are worth sharing here:

They are simple. We remember simple ideas better (and more quickly) than complex ones. Narrow it down to one simple thing your reader should take from the message.
They are unexpected. We remember ideas that take us by surprise, even ideas that provoke us. Marketing messages like “Everything you thought you knew about ___ is WRONG” can get our attention, for example.
They are concrete. We struggle to retain abstract concepts like mission statements. We remember picture words with adjectives (e.g., red train, piping hot pancakes).
They are credible. A headline like “Make a million dollars in 10 minutes using our simple method” might be unexpected, but no one believes you. Your claim must be believable.
They are emotional. We remember ideas that give us the feels. In headline-writing, words that touch your reader’s pain points will stick.
They are story driven. “Bob saved his struggling landscaping business using our app.” We remember narratives more than concepts.

If six principles seem like a lot to put into a sticky headline, you’re right. Bear in mind that not every principle needs to be present in every marketing message to make it stick. These principles simply describe the kinds of messages we naturally remember. Keep them in mind when crafting your direct mail pieces, and you’ll go a lot further toward staying top-of-mind with your target audience.

Mail King USA can help you reach more people with memorable, effective direct mail marketing. To learn more, call us today at (916) 296-0545.